


I'll be Seeing You

by Lyss2011



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Pendragon Returns, Canonical Character Death, Gen, M/M, NASA, Non-Canonical Character Death, Oppy, Sad Ending, did i mention this was sad?, it's sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 16:17:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17811278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyss2011/pseuds/Lyss2011
Summary: Arthur Pendragon was an engineer working on MER-B, later christened Opportunity.





	I'll be Seeing You

**Author's Note:**

> In case you haven't checked the tags, this doesn't have a happy ending. The title and an excerpt are from "I'll be Seeing You" by Billie Holiday, which was the final transmission to the Opportunity rover on Mars.  
> The Merthur can be read as gen.

i. (the job)

Arthur didn't think he would care, at first. He should've known better; he didn't know just how similar this life would be to his last. 

"Alvarez, Pendragon, you'll join the MER-B team as well."

His new boss shook his hand. "C'mon, I'll show you the prototype." Arthur nodded, not nearly as excited as Alvarez was next to him. Work was work was work. Yes, he was working at NASA, fulfilling a childhood dream, but he knew the excitement wouldn't hit him until just before launch. 

_"You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."_

_"MERLIN! Why are my boots still dirty?"_

 

ii. (the attachment)

"What are you smiling at, Pendragon?"

"Nothing," Arthur responded, trying to flatten the fond turn of his lips. 

Alvarez grinned and slapped him on the back. "It's growing on you too." Alvarez had fallen in love with the prototype, and Arthur could swear he roamed the labs to find others who were growing fond of it as well.

"Is not. I just finally got this instrument connected properly and it worked." He would never admit that he'd been fond of MER-B for the past few months.

_"It's a new day. Have you been here all night?"_

_"I didn't want you to feel that you were alone."_

_"You're a loyal friend, Merlin."_

 

iii. (the launch)

"You nervous?"

"Excited." And sad. His part in this mission was mostly over, and although he was sure to hear about it and be called in if there were problems, this was it.

_"Just-just hold me."_

 

 

iv. (the wait)

"God, could this take any longer?" Alvarez complained. Arthur said nothing; he'd waited much longer before.

_Nothingness. It surrounded him, choking._

 

v. (the transmissions) 

"Pendragon! Oppy made contact last night! It's landed!" 

_"Arthur. Arthur. Can you hear me? It's Merlin. I - I miss you."_

_"Merlin? Where-where are you? I can't see-"_

_"It worked! Oh, I'll send an image, hold on."_

_"How are you doing this?" Arthur could see a beautiful image in front of him: sheep grazing on the top of a cliff overlooking the ocean, a small stone building where he imagined Merlin carrying out his chores._

_"How do you think?" Arthur could almost imagine Merlin's eyebrow raising._

_"But-"_

_"The world is changing so fast, Arthur. I want you to be ready for when you come back."_

"Happy New Year, Pendragon!" 

"Happy New Year, Alvarez. Did you see the new data Oppy sent? Too bad we lost so much the other sol."

"Yeah. I heard Wen had to reset the Get Fine Attitude yesterday. You think the bossman is gonna be mad? I mean, it's already lasted almost three times as long as we planned for."

_"What's this?" Merlin had sent a picture of a street at night._

_"Electricity. They aren't using gas lamps anymore, and these don't even have flames. It's the big new thing."_

_"Merlin?"_

_"Hm?"_

_Are you alright, he wanted to ask. "Thank you," he said instead, hoping Merlin would understand._

"Oppy sent a selfie!" Alvarez was still Arthur's closest work friend, even fifteen years later, and always tried to keep him up to date on the rover.

_"Can you...could you send me a picture of yourself?"_

_"Of course," Merlin's voice was soft. "I wish you could send me a picture of yourself as well. It's been so_ long _Arthur, I-"_

_"Merlin?"_

_After a time picture of Merlin in front of a large brick building appeared in his mind. On first glance he looked the same as he had in Camelot, but as he brought it up again and again in his mind he realized that the light in his eyes was dimmer despite his wide smile. He had the eyes of an old man, of a seasoned traveler who was ready to go home and rest._

_Merlin didn't answer him for a while after that.  
_

 

vi. (the goodbye)

"My battery is low and it's getting dark." Arthur would deny the tears in his eyes, even as Alvarez expressed hope that Oppy could wake up after the next wind storm.

The team sent command after command, hoping and praying for a response. 

He knew it wouldn't come; he'd made that mistake before.

_"Arthur..." Merlin's voice was slow and tired. "I think...I think you're ready. I prepared you for the world, and I. I have to go. I can feel myself fading. My magic, it's dying._

_"Merlin, no, you- no. I'll," his voice broke and for the first time he could feel something of his body in the nothingness. Tears were hot on his cheeks, dripping down his chest. "I'll find you. I'll find you when I-when I get out. Please. Wait for me. P-please."_

 

vii. (the acceptance) 

I'll find you in the morning sun  
And when the night is new  
I'll be looking at the moon  
But I'll be seeing you

_"I love you."_

**Author's Note:**

> The New Year's conversation Arthur and Alvarez have is January 2005, where Opportunity's memory filled up and there were a bunch of issues. The selfie is from February 2018.  
> https://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer/mission/rover-status/opportunity/2005/all/  
> I think this may be the fastest I've gone from idea to posting, I hope it's good!
> 
> Kudos, Comments, and Criticism always welcome! <3
> 
> Please read the amazing remix of this fic!!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Escape from Earth](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18889057) by [Linorien](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linorien/pseuds/Linorien)




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